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The Expanse (episode)
After a devastating attack on Earth by an alien probe of unknown origin, Enterprise is recalled and sent into a strange expanse on a new, more vital mission. Summary Teaser High above the planet Earth, an alien probe appears to enter from a visibility shield. The probe descends toward the planet below and comes to a stop above Earth's atmosphere. It fires a destructive blast at the continent of South America that cuts a swath through the planet's surface. When its task is complete, the probe self destructs, with one component continuing to hurtle toward Earth. Act One On the Klingon homeworld, Qo'noS, in an organized gathering inside the Klingon High Council Chamber, the Council meets with Duras, son of Toral. They are disappointed that Duras has allowed Starfleet Captain Jonathan Archer to escape from imprisonment on two occasions. The Klingon Chancellor believes that, during Archer's trial on Narendra III, the Klingon Magistrate was wrong to grant the captain leniency and that Archer should have been executed for his crimes against the Klingon Empire. Although Duras was given a simple mission to locate a group of rebels that Archer was protecting and return them to the Klingons, he failed and was dishonored by the Empire. When the Klingon Chancellor informs Duras that the High Council are providing him with a chance to regain both his command and his honor, Duras assures the Council he will succeed. Aboard the NX class starship ''Enterprise'', Chief Engineer Charles "Trip" Tucker enters the briefing room. The senior staff already present determine that Captain Archer has asked them to gather there to relay some important news. Communications Officer Hoshi Sato mentions that Archer is busy talking with Admiral Maxwell Forrest at Starfleet Command, the third time the Captain has contacted Forrest in the last hour. Denobulan Doctor Phlox states that he can't recall the last time that he was invited to join the senior staff in the briefing room, indicating the importance of Archer's news. Although Tactical Officer Malcolm Reed attempts to guess the reality of the situation, he is interrupted when Archer enters and solemnly tells his officers about the probe that attacked Earth. Although Starfleet has not managed to establish the probe's origin, they have determined that the swath cut by the probe is 4,000 kilometers long and runs from Florida to Venezuela. They estimate the disaster may have resulted in as many as a million casualties. When the captain states that Enterprise has been recalled and ordered to return to Earth, Helmsman Travis Mayweather comments that the journey back home will be long. A crewman on the starship's Bridge contacts Archer and notifies him that Forrest is hailing Enterprise. The captain acknowledges the crewman's report and instructs Ensign Mayweather to set a course for Earth at maximum warp. In space, the vessel turns to face the right direction and leaps into warp velocity. In the Captain's Ready Room, Archer watches elongated light from stars pass by his window. Commander Tucker enters, worried about his younger sister, who lives in Florida. He asks whether Forrest mentioned the areas of that American state the probe attacked, but Archer apologetically responds negatively. Trip speculates that his sister, an archaeologist, may have been away from Florida at the time of the incident, as archaeologists often travel. Archer agrees with the possibility of Tucker's theory, but he also tells the engineer that the number of casualties has been revised to three million. Learning this information, Tucker becomes deeply upset and wonders why anyone would cause such a tragedy. The captain shakes his head, indicating that he doesn't know, and can't understand, the attacker's motives. With the captain's authorization, Subcommander T'Pol enters the room. She notices Trip before she tells Archer that she has contacted Ambassador Soval, a Vulcan diplomat, who told her that a Vulcan transport found a pod from the alien probe in Central Asia. The transport brought the component to Starfleet Headquarters, where it was studied. Starfleet has discovered that the probe was operated by a pilot, who was killed on impact. However, they cannot be certain which species the alien pilot belonged to. When Trip asks T'Pol if she was told the areas of Florida the probe attacked, she also replies negatively. Unsure of Commander Tucker's interest in the incident, T'Pol gazes from Trip to Archer with a confused expression. The captain explains that the commander's sister resides in Florida and the Vulcan glances back at Trip. From the Bridge, Lieutenant Reed contacts Archer and informs him that eight Suliban ships are approaching Enterprise at high warp. Archer instructs Reed to activate the tactical alert and leads Trip and T'Pol out of the Ready Room. Meanwhile, the Suliban vessels drop out of warp and surround the Starfleet ship. On the Bridge, Hoshi Sato attempts to contact the enemy vessels, but they do not respond. Although the captain tells her to try again, the room suddenly darkens. Reed is startled when he sees three Suliban agents - two crawl on the roof, while another runs toward Archer. The lieutenant rises from his seat, but the Bridge completely darkens before he can take action. When the lights come back online, the Bridge officers are shocked that Archer is no longer in the room. Aboard one of the Suliban ships, Archer waits in an interrogation room. Three Suliban soon enter, including the captain's arch-nemesis, Silik. Although Archer accuses the Suliban agent for the attack on Earth, Silik claims he was not involved and has no knowledge of the incident. The captain moves threateningly toward Silik, but the Suliban guards protect him. Silik remarks that Archer's attack would be foolish and informs Archer that someone needs to speak with him to relay some valuable information. Silik assures the captain that he will not be harmed and adds that the information concerns humanity, which is in great danger. Alongside Silik, Archer enters a temporal communications chamber aboard the Suliban vessel. The captain sees the silhoutte of a mysterious figure at the center of the room that Silik suggests Archer should approach. Although Silik does not reveal the figure's identity, the Suliban advises Archer to listen to what the figure has to say. As suggested, Archer approaches the silhoutte. The figure informs him that the alien probe was launched by the Xindi, who learned that their homeworld would be destroyed by Humans 400 years in the future. The figure explains that the Xindi were informed of their planet's annihilation by another faction that can communicate through time. According to the mysterious figure from the future, the probe was only a prototype for a much bigger and more powerful weapon that the Xindi are currently building. They plan to use the weapon to destroy Earth and eradicate the Humans before they can cause the destruction of the Xindi planet. The figure implies that, in his time period, history does not record Earth's destruction in the 22nd Century. However, if the planet is destroyed, the disaster will contaminate the timeline. The figure needs Archer to stop that from happening. Although the captain asks why he should believe the mysterious figure, the silhoutte replies that Archer has no choice but to trust him. In space, the Suliban ships move away as Enterprise continues toward Earth. Aboard the Starfleet vessel, Archer and T'Pol are in the Captain's Ready Room. The Vulcan science officer wonders why the mysterious figure aboard the Suliban ship did not tell Archer about the Xindi before the attack on Earth. In response, the captain answers that the figure did not believe Archer would trust him. Believing that the figure's information is unlikely, T'Pol states that Starfleet and the Vulcan High Command will probably determine the real identity of the organization that attacked Earth. The captain asks T'Pol for her support, as her skepticism could lead him to doubt the figure, a character that might be telling him the truth. :Captain's starlog - April 24, 2153. The journey home has been very difficult. We've now learned that over seven million people were lost. On Enterprise's Bridge, Ensign Mayweather sees Earth's sun, Sol, on the main viewscreen. He attracts the captain's attention, as Archer is in the situation room with Trip and T'Pol, and shows him the image. On the viewscreen, the sun appears extremely small and not much bigger than the other stars surrounding it. When the captain steps up to the Bridge, Lieutenant Reed informs him that a nearby ship has dropped out of warp. Trip and T'Pol move to their stations while the captain asks about the vessel. Mayweather tells him that the ship is two hundred kilometers away, but T'Pol is unable to identify the craft. Reed begins to inform Archer that the ship has opened fire on Enterprise, but is interrupted when the vessel's weapon hits the Starfleet ship. The Bridge shudders violently with the impact of the enemy craft's weapon. In space, a Klingon Bird-of-Prey continues to attack Enterprise as it swoops over the starship's hull. Act Two As the battle proceeds, Reed notifies the captain that Enterprise has lost both forward phase cannons. When Archer enquires as to whether the spatial torpedoes are available, Reed nods and prepares to fire them. At the science station, T'Pol finally determines the identity of their attacker. In space, Enterprise launches three torpedoes at the Klingon vessel, but one misses and the other two seem to have little effect as they collide with the Bird-of-Prey's shields. In response, the Klingon ship fires a destructive volley of torpedoes at the Starfleet vessel as they pass. The projectile weapons detonate on contact with Enterprise's starboard nacelle, causing plasma to leak out into space. Aboard the Starfleet craft, Hoshi Sato recites an incoming audio message from the Bird-of-Prey. She tells Archer that the Klingons are willing to cease their assault if the captain personally surrenders himself to them. The bridge shudders as the enemy vessel continues its attack. When Ensign Sato informs the captain that the Klingons are demanding justice for his criminal actions so that honor may be regained, Archer realizes that Duras is commanding the Bird-of-Prey. Suddenly, a series of explosions erupt on the Bridge. Aboard the Klingon ship, an officer behind the command chair reports that Enterprise's nacelles have both been destroyed. When Duras demands to know the condition of the starship's weapons, another Klingon officer at the helm answers that the ship's phase cannons are disabled. Realizing his opportunity to secure Archer, Duras issues orders to stop the attack and to prepare a boarding party. Abruptly, the officer behind Duras reports that three ships are approaching. In space, three Starfleet vessels, including the starship Intrepid, attack the Bird-of-Prey with phase cannons. The Klingon craft retailates with torpedoes, while heading towards Enterprise. On the bridge of the Klingon vessel, the officer behind Duras identifies the newly arrived ships as "Earth vessels". As Duras stands up from his chair, he orders the helmsman to fire back at the ships. When the bridge suddenly shudders, the Klingon commander holds on to the arm of his command chair. The helmsman reports that the Bird-of-Prey's shields are failing, but are still functional. Duras shouts at the officer who mans the helm, directing him to keep attacking the Starfleet vessels. However, another blast cripples the Klingon ship's third and fourth disruptor banks. In furious frustration, Duras slams his fist against the back of his chair and orders the helmsman to withdraw from the battle. As the Starfleet ships continue to attack the Klingon craft, the Bird-of-Prey leaps into warp velocity, disappearing from view. When the communications console aboard Enterprise signals an incoming hail, Ensign Sato explains that Captain Ramirez, Intrepid's commanding officer, is contacting the starship. Archer nods to Hoshi and an image of the captain appears on the main viewscreen. When Ramirez asks about the motives of the battle, Archer replies that the Klingon Duras has a grudge against him. Ramirez welcomes Archer back home and implies that he feels sorry the situation is so bleak. As Enterprise orbits Earth, T'Pol, Hoshi, Mayweather, Archer and Reed contemplate the devastation that the alien probe caused. The officers gaze dishearteningly at the swath of destruction on the main viewscreen. Commander Tucker, wracked with grief, diverts his attention away from the image. Upon arriving on Earth, Archer meets with Admiral Forrest and Vulcan Ambassador Soval in Starfleet Headquarters. Forrest reveals that he has told Starfleet all about the mysterious figure from the future and the supposed Xindi threat. Although Starfleet Command doubts Archer's story, they are still unable to determine the attacker's identity and currently have no theories that would better explain the attack. When Archer asks Soval if the Vulcan High Command believes the story, the Ambassador states that the Vulcan Science Directorate has deemed time travel impossible. Archer asks Soval and Forrest if they are willing to risk another attack, an assault that the mysterious figure predicted. The captain approaches Forrest and urges him to allow Enterprise to search for the Xindi. Archer opines that a single starship would be a small loss if the vessel manages to stop the Xindi's second attack. When Soval asks the captain if he knows where the coordinates are situated, Archer replies that the ship could be there in three months. The Vulcan Ambassador reluctantly reveals that the location is in the Delphic Expanse, a region of space almost two thousand light-years across. When Soval states that the Vulcans have sent ships into the region but only a few have been recovered, Archer likens the area to Earth's Bermuda Triangle. Soval admits that the Delphic Expanse is rumored to hold several hostile alien species, unexplainable phenomena and areas that do not even conform to the laws of physics. Evidently, the Vulcans fear the illogical nature of the region as logic is their way of life and the foundation of their beliefs. Soval tells Archer and Forrest about a Klingon vessel that entered the Delphic Expanse. When it emerged from the region in the 2130s, its entire crew was anatomically inverted but still alive. The Ambassador advises the officers that Starfleet would be insane to permit a ship to pass into the Expanse. Addressing the admiral, Archer states that he and the majority of his crew would be willing to take the risk of exploring the region. Soval remarks that Archer is being typically reckless, endangering his crew when he is uncertain whether the mysterious figure's story is true. Forrest notifies the captain that Starfleet would be wary to authorize Archer's plan, although the admiral suggests that sufficient proof may persuade the organization to reconsider. As the captain wanders towards the exit, he confesses that he does not know if the mysterious figure was actually from the future. However, Archer announces that the figure realised the captain's story would be met with doubt and so provided him with proof. Upon arriving on Earth, Archer informs his superiors of the information given to him by the Suliban leader and quantum dates a piece of the debris as proof and receives permission to search for the Xindi in a region of space known as the Delphic Expanse. Soval attempts to persuade Archer not to enter the Delphic Expanse, as it is filled with unexplained anomalies and hostile alien species. Archer refuses to listen and decides to continue as planned. Meanwhile, Trip visits the site of the attack, in which his sister was killed, and T'Pol is ordered back to Vulcan by the Vulcan High Command. Before leaving, Enterprise is fitted with upgraded hull plating and weapons and given permission to take T'Pol back to Vulcan on it's way towards the Expanse. Duras attacks a second time before Enterprise can reach Vulcan, but with its new photonic torpedoes, Enterprise is able to disable his engines and continue on its way. However, prior to reaching Vulcan, T'Pol decides to stay aboard Enterprise and resign her commission with the Vulcan High Command. Upon arriving at the edge of the expanse, Enterprise attempts to navigate the thick layers of thermobaric clouds that surround the region. Along the way, Duras attacks yet again, however, when two of his backup vessel refuse to enter the Expanse, Enterprise is able to destroy his ship using its new torpedoes. Background Information The episode marked the end of the second season of Star Trek: Enterprise, and the beginning of the Xindi arc in which the crew search for the Xindi superweapon. This episode marks the final appearance of Future Guy (James Horan) and the death of Duras (Daniel Riordan). Bruce Wright previously played Sarish Rez in the Star Trek: Deep Space Nine episode "Crossfire". Links and References Guest Stars * Vaughn Armstrong as Admiral Forrest * Josh Cruze as Captain Ramirez * Dan Desmond as Klingon Chancellor * Gary Graham as Soval * Daniel Riordan as Duras * John Fleck as Silik * James Horan as Future Guy * Bruce Wright as Dr. Fer'at References Earth, Florida, Klingons, Suliban, Silik, Xindi, Xindi superweapon, Venezuela Expanse, The de:Die Ausdehnung nl:The Expanse